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T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:30 am
by Lulu2
Has anyone here had experience with using this device? I'm considering one and am curious to know if anyone else has done so?
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:37 am
by Lulu2
Childbirth? WOW...I wouldn't've considered one for that! (Thinking...on your lower back, perhaps?) I've got a severe muscle spasm (recurrent problem) and I'm just wondering if the unit might not help.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:42 am
by CARLA
Lulu I had to wear one of these after I broke my Neck to help with the pain. I wore it constantly. I'm not sure it did anything unless the new one are better. :rolleyes:
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:44 am
by SuzyB
Hi Lulu,
I was given one of these machines a couple of years ago to try to help my back pain, unfortuantly it did not work for me but the chronic pain team did tell me that many patients have found some relief with the machine.
I'm going in hospital later on in the year to have a cord stimulation implant fitted which works on the same principle as the TENS, they are hoping it will give me some relief from the trapped nerve in my leg but have said not to get my hopes up for it giving me some relief in the back.
Hope it works for you

T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:46 am
by Lulu2
Carla & Suzy....I feel your pain...as they say! Thanks for the input. Suzy...I hope the new thing works.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:50 am
by SuzyB
Lulu2;516455 wrote: Carla & Suzy....I feel your pain...as they say! Thanks for the input. Suzy...I hope the new thing works.
Thanks Lulu, i hope so to, it really is the last option for me, i'd much rather have that than take all the pills, i'm rattling as i walk

T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:52 am
by Patsy Warnick
I didn't feel much relief from the Tens - I think it depends on the level of pain one is in for the unit to be successful.
Suzy - theres also a surgery - high tech using a laser to go in and remove/shave a small are where your nerve has pressure.
I had it done and that terrible pain down the leg is gone.
Do I still have back pain - yes, but not that suicidal leg pain.
Patsy
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:53 am
by Lulu2
Patsy, do you mean they might work better on severe pain? Or lesser pain? I've had one physical therapist recommend a TENS and another sort of rolled his eyes. Who knows? :-5
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:56 am
by Lulu2
Is that what you meant, Patsy? Suzy?
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:06 am
by SuzyB
Patsy Warnick;516464 wrote: I didn't feel much relief from the Tens - I think it depends on the level of pain one is in for the unit to be successful.
Suzy - there's also a surgery - high tech using a laser to go in and remove/shave a small are where your nerve has pressure.
I had it done and that terrible pain down the leg is gone.
Do I still have back pain - yes, but not that suicidal leg pain.
Patsy
The problem i have Patsy is that i had a disc removed 5 years ago, they left a tiny bit there to save me having the back fused. When that little bit of disc slipped back in October it pushed the scar tissue out onto my S1 nerve, and all the top consultants have said it's too risky to operate as scar tissue is so thick they couldn't guarantee that the nerve wouldn't be left permanently damaged. They said they was not prepared at my age to do that operation but if i was 30 years older they'd of tried it. Not what i wanted to hear but you have to listen to the experts.......
To answer your question Lulu, i was given my TENS machine through the chronic pain team, it was tried after physio didn't help. After the TENS i did try Acupuncture, which although it didn't cure me, it did give me some light relief

T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:06 am
by Patsy Warnick
Less pain
and if a therapist rolled the eyes - they know the Tens kinda works
I myself think the Tens Unit is a money gimmick for the medical dept. just to bill something else to your Ins.
Try it - Its for less pain, if your in severe pain a small impulse will not redirect the nerve to stop responding.
Patsy
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:18 am
by Patsy Warnick
Suzy
I know what your going thru. My surgery was L5, S1
had part of the disc removed in 1996 - I have the same problem with the scar tissue - nerve pressure Pain!!!
I won't let Drs back in - I keep getting referred to Ortho specialists - I don't go.
At some point I'll have no choice.
This implant will redirect the the nerve from reponding? It should help, thats suicidal pain - just makes you sick and theres nothing that will relieve it. Everything in my house theraputic.
Please let me know how this works for you - Oct. .
Patsy
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:21 am
by SuzyB
Patsy Warnick;516506 wrote: Suzy
I know what your going thru. My surgery was L5, S1
had part of the disc removed in 1996 - I have the same problem with the scar tissue - nerve pressure Pain!!!
I won't let Drs back in - I keep getting referred to Ortho specialists - I don't go.
At some point I'll have no choice.
This implant will redirect the the nerve from reponding? It should help, thats suicidal pain - just makes you sick and theres nothing that will relieve it. Everything in my house theraputic.
Please let me know how this works for you - Oct. .
Patsy
Thanks Patsy, i will. It was my L5 that i had removed, my L4 has lost all it's jelly, they said that i have two other disc's that are regenerative. BLOOMIN BACKS:-5 :-5
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:24 am
by Lulu2
Suzy, Patsy...my daughter had four cervical discs replaced (NOT FUSED) by Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli in Germany last winter.
http://www.bertagnoli.com/
He's wonderful, and the replacement disc means she has normal range of motion. If you've not heard of him...do some research.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:25 am
by Marie5656
I just asked Rick, as he used to have one for his back. He said it helped quite alot. Unfortunatly he no longer has it, though he wishes he did. He thinks a former roommate of his "borrowed" it and never returned it.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:27 am
by Lulu2
AH--a good report. May I ask what his problem is/was?
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:29 am
by SuzyB
Lulu2;516513 wrote: Suzy, Patsy...my daughter had four cervical discs replaced (NOT FUSED) by Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli in Germany last winter.
http://www.bertagnoli.com/
He's wonderful, and the replacement disc means she has normal range of motion. If you've not heard of him...do some research.
Thanks i will def do some research on him

T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:31 am
by Patsy Warnick
Suzy
L4 is shot on me too - at one time a Dr suggested putting a rod in my back - I don't think so, see ya.
Once your out of alignment - you go to pot - and that helps with pain too.
didn't think I'd ever experience that - relaxes you - helps.
I'm sure you've tried everything to relieve the pain - all I can suggest is a hot bath - stretch and try to move around and stay limber
The older we get - the worse it gets.
Good luck
Patsy
LULU - I will research this Dr. and all other options - its becoming such a high tec world, in time we'll have more choices of non advasive treatment/surgery. Thanks
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:31 am
by Marie5656
Lulu2;516519 wrote: AH--a good report. May I ask what his problem is/was?
He was involved in an auto crash..someone rear ended him.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:32 am
by Lulu2
Suzy...my daughter couldn't find anyone here willing to do anything more than fuse her neck! Dr. Bertagnoli literally saved her from life as a semi-cripple! I was impressed not only with him, but with the hospital staff in Bogen. Perhaps he could help you, too.
Marie, was it his neck or shoulder or lower back?
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:34 am
by Marie5656
Lulu2;516536 wrote: .
Marie, was it his neck or shoulder or lower back?
Lower back. Still gives him grief, but arthritus has set in. This is why he wishes he still had it.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:35 am
by Lulu2
Interesting. Thanks! (I've been looking on Google..they're not all that expensive, it seems. Perhaps he could get another.)
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:38 am
by Marie5656
Lulu2;516541 wrote: Interesting. Thanks! (I've been looking on Google..they're not all that expensive, it seems. Perhaps he could get another.)
I will mention that to him. But Won't he need a doctor's order for a new one?
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:39 am
by Lulu2
Yes, but surely his doctor wouldn't object?
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:39 am
by Marie5656
No, she won't at all. He is going next month, I should mention it to him.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:42 am
by Lulu2
Maybe this is a happy coincidence? I hope so. I'm still deciding whether or not to try something ELSE for this bloody shoulder! (It's an old whiplash legacy.) SIGH.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:45 am
by Marie5656
It may not work for you, but when I have tension and pain in my neck and shoulders, this is what I do. I bought one of those horsehoe shaped neck pillows, the ones you can heat in the mirowave. I love it. I am due to get a nw one soon. I have had this one for several years, and it has lost alot of the filling.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:46 am
by BabyRider
Lulu, I've used a tens on 2 different scenarios. One was when I had some extensive dental work, worked great. (Used on my jaw.) The other was given to me by a physical therapist who moonlighted with me at the bar. She strapped the thing to my crapped-out knee and told me to work with it on. Hadn't had a good working night like that before and I wore it 2 or 3 times a week after that. I had great relief from this device.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 12:07 pm
by Lulu2
Good to know, B'R! I'm leaning toward trying one....
How's your therapy coming along?
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:14 pm
by abbey
Lulu, i've had a tens machine for 4 years as i have lower back problems.
I checked out with a physio before i used it and he showed me the points best for me to place the pads.
I use it for 8 hours on 8 off and although it does'nt completly block the pain it does take the edge off for a while.
Hope it works for you.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:32 pm
by Tater Tazz
hi lulu! I have one I had to get when when I was in theropy. All it seemed to do was take the pain away for awhile. When I shut it off, about 1/2 an hour later I was in horrible pain again. Towards the end it did nothing. but I will tell you a funy story about it. I wore it one day to work, and one of the cables came undone and fell in my pants and gave me a shock! I was dancing very nicely. If you have more questions I can try and help.

T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:43 pm
by Lulu2
OMG! "Dancing," eh?
It's beginning to sound as if it's just something which works for some and not for others.
Hmmmm....what to do? I'm still leaning toward trying one.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:50 pm
by Tater Tazz
I asked people before I got mine. Some it worked on some it did'nt. My surgeon said it was not going to work. That's about the only thing he's be right about. But the insurance paid for most of it.
T E N S units
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:39 pm
by chocoholic
Lulu, I have an ongoing lower back problem and gets bouts of Sciatica, I have a TENS machine and although it doesn't cure the problem certainly helps a great deal.
I also have a Backlife machine which I use at least twice daily and this has proved to be of immense help in keeping my back pain under control
I can recommend both of them.